Metallic counter for shoes.



B. F. MCCOY.

METALLIC COUNTER FOR SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20. 1914.

1,143,294. Paten ted June 15, 1915.

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i BENJAMIN r. .McGOY, or sr. LOUIS, ivrrssounr.

METALTJIC COUNTER FOR SHOES.

Patented June 15, 1915.

Application filed June 20, 1914. Serial No. 846,221.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. MoOoY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city ofSt. Louis and State of Missouri,' have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in Metallic Counters for Shoes, of which the following is a specification. V

This 'inventionrelates to counters for boots and shoes, and the principal object of'the invention is a counter made of sheet metal and adapted for machine made shoes, includingsewed, nailed and pegged shoes.

. A further object of the invention is .a me

tallic counter adapted to belasted, sewed and nailed in place by means of the machines in general use for making-shoes. p

i- Further objects of the invention are to improve the construction of shoes and cheapen their manufacture by the use of metallic counters made in accordance with the invention. 7

Metallic shoe counters as heretofore made must be pre-formed exactly to fit the shoe, and are not suitable for lasting by machine. A metallic shoe counter made in. accordance with this invention has sufiicient'flexibility combined with the able it to be fitted to the shoe on the last and lasted by machine. j

The invention consists in a metallic shoe counter, as hereinafter described and claimed; and the invention in the process of making a metallic shoe counter, as hereinafter described. N 0 claim and lining;

making the counter, and the right is reserved to file a separate application for said process. --In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference characters are used to designate; like parts in the several views, Figure 1 is. a view of the prepared metal blank from which the counter is formed, looking atthe side of the blank w ich becomes the'inside of the counter; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a partly finished welt shoe embodying a metallic counter, showing the upper lasted in place and part of the welt sewed to the insole, part of the upper being broken away to disclose the counter Fig. 3is a perspective view of the finished metallic counter prior to placing it in a shoe; and Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a plan view and a cross-section, drawn to an enlarged scale, of theperforated flange Of-the counter. j

necessary rigidity to en further consists The, process of making the metallic counter shown in thedrawings is as follows: A narrow strip or blank 11' of sheet metal of the desired thickness is sheared or punched in any suitable manner to produce the outline shown in Fig. 1, leaving the two corners at the ends of one long edge rounded, and the opposite long edge notched along its middle portion to form a series of spaced tongues The notches extend in from the outer edgeof the strip one half to three-quarters of an inch.

The notched margin of the counter blank is punched along its entire length with small ho es l3, spaced close together. The punch for forming the holes 13 is provided with rows of four-sided pyramidal points, and the die has mating rows of circular holes of slightly larger diameter than the diagonal thickness of the punches at their bases. The punched portion of the blank has alarge number of jagged points 14 projecting from one sideof the sheet, and the opposite side of the sheet is formed into a series of depressions with holes at their centers, no portion thereof being flat, as shown in Figs. 4c and 5. The blank is next formed to the shape desired'for the counter in a suitable die press, and the punched margin of the blank is bent approximately at right angles to the remaining portion thereof, forming an inturned flange 15. The points 14: formed by the punching operation project in, that is, they are on the inside of the counter, the outside surface of the flange 15 being a succession of hollows with a hole in the center of each. The. flange 15 is continuous for an inch or more at each end of the counter, the intermediate portion of the flange bein composed of the separate tongues 12.. The notches between the tongues are close together, and extend in to the corner at the junction of the flange with the top or heel portion of the counter, thereby enabling the heel portion of the counter to be readily bent or shaped to fit the last, as is required for the lasting operation. The rounded corners and top edge of the counter are turned over or doubled in any suitable manner to form a rounded or beaded edge extending from one end. of the flange 15 to the other end thereof at the opposite end of the counter. This beaded edge stiifens the top portion of the counter without interferin with its flexibility to accommodate itself todiflerent widths and shapes of last.

, tacks,

- 16 and the upper 17 by The counter may be covered with cloth, leather or leather board, as is desired; but a cover is not necessary for its successful use.

The metallic counter is made intothe shoe in the same way as a leather counter. .That

is, the counter is placed'between the lining is pulled over the insole 18 on a last and tacked in any of the usual machines'forthis purpose. The tacks 19: aroundthe heel-can be driven home and clenched withouttrouble, for the reason that the points of the if they strike the metal of the tongues 12, are deflected by its cupped or hollowed shape through the'jholes 13. The loosely driven tacks or nails 20- around the shank cupped and perforated flange does not interfere with either the loose nailing or sewing of welt shoes. In McKay and screw nailed shoes the lasting tacks are all drivenat a considerable distance in from the outer edge of" the last, and likewise can pass through jections or points lining the counter without difficulty.

The needles and awls of the machines for sewing the welts and outsoles are heavier than the lasting tacks, and pass through the perforated flange of this metallic counter without difliculty- Likewise, the heel nails are heavier than the lasting tacks, and when the heel is nailed in place, the counter is solidly secured thereby. The pro- 16 and into theinsole'lS, by the pres sure of the heeling machine, and thereby assist in holding the lining and counter in place I It; is evident from the preceding description that metallic counters made in accordance with this invention may be fitted to the last and lasted in the same manner as leather counters in the usual types of pulling over and, lasting machines, the lasting operation giving the counter the desired form. for the particular shoe. Accordingly, this invention obviates thev necessity for making metallic counters lefts and rights, and; also enables a few sizes of counter blanks to be used for an entire run of shoes of assorted sizes. This invention also enables a welt shoe to be made. with an all metal counter which laps the welt and stiffens the shank of the shoe.

Although the invention has been described in detail, I do not restrict it to the particuhand', and the upper 1a are forced through the lar form of the device shown and described;

although particularly adapted for welt shoes, the invention is not restricted thereto.

The part of the invention which consists in the combination of a metallic'counter and a shoe is expressly reserved for. the subject; matter of a future application for Letters Patent. i r

I claim the following as my invention:

1. A flexible metallic counter for machine made; welt shoes, said, counter havingits ends provided with inturned portions adapt edto lap the ends ofthe welt, the entire surface 'of said inturned portionsbeing formed with closely spaced depressions whereby a sewing machine needle Willi-he prevented from glancing ofl said surface.

.2. A flexible metallic shoe counterhavin g inturned projections closely spaced around its lower edge, said'projections being perforatedthroughou-ttheir extent by closely spaced holes, the outer surfaceof said pro ections slop'ng in towardsaid holes whereby said counter can be lasted by machine and the lasting tacks will be deflected through said, holes. 7 e

3-. A counter for machine-madeshoes;-said counter consisting of a single pieceof sheet metal formed into counter shape, said counter having a flexible heel portion con formable to lasts of different sizesand of Y difi'erent heel contours, said counter also having a series of projecting tongues along its lower edge provided throughout the1r areaswith closely spaced perforations, said tongues beingspaced close together near the back part of the heel, and intu-rned portions near the ends ofsaid counter providediwithsimilarf perforations and constituting sewing flanges, whereby said counter may be machine-lasted and saidsewing'flanges may be machine sewed in-a shoe.

4. A counter for machlne-vmade welt shoes,

said counter consistin'gof a single piece of sheet metal formed into counter shape, said counter having a flexible heel portion con- 7 formable to lasts of difierent sizes and of different heel contours, .said counter also having av series of projecting tongues along its lower edge provided throughout areas with closely-spaced perforations, said tonguesbeing spaced close together near, the backpart, of the heel", andintu'rnedportions near theendsof said counter provided withsimilar perforations and constituting sewing: flanges adapted to lapthe endsof the welt along the 'line of stitching, whereby" their said counter may be machine-lasted andsaid sewing "flanges may be machine sewed in a shoe.

'5. A metallic shoe counter consisting of,

flexible side walls and a. flexible heel portion arranged to bebent and fitted to lasts of different contours,

provided along its lower-edge with narrow said" counter beingl 1'0 inturned projections spaced around the heel portion, the arrangement and relativespacing of said projections being such that the counter may be machine-lasted in a shoe, the side walls of said counter having perforated inturned flanges adjacent to their ends adapted to be machine-sewed to a shoe.

6. A counter for machine-made shoes, said counter consisting of a single piece of sheet metal formed into counter shape, said counter having a flexible heel portion conformable to lasts of different sizes and of difi'erent heel contours, said counter having along its lower edge at its heel portion a series of closely spaced inturned tongues 15 be machine-lasted and said sewing flanges 20 may be machine sewed in a shoe.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 18th day of June, 1914;.

BENJAMIN F. MoCOY.

Witnesss:

A. M. HoLooMBn, M. A. SHELTON.

Gopie of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of 2mm.

Washington, D. G." 

